Every month, nearly 2,500 people shop for personal, auto, and/or home insurance online, and they take the time to fill out a form with hopes of hearing back from a knowledgeable and personable industry rep or licensed agent who will help them through the often overwhelming and dreaded insurance decision-making process. All insurance shoppers who fill out a form online are considered viable leads that are generated. For insurance agents and insurance carriers who participate in a formal and well-established lead generation (lead gen) program, a monthly treasure trove of 2.5M potential new customers is an effective, expedient, and exceptional way to grow their business. Securing Thousands of Dollars in New Business Each Month (a.k.a. Why generate leads online?) Whether it’s a multi-generational, established agency that has been a mainstay in a community for decades, or it’s a brand new independent agency in the market, every insurance agent, owner, and carrier has either considered or tried online leads and call transfers at some point in their career in the insurance industry. While some have had great success with generating leads via this non-traditional marketing channel, many have not. If an agency hasn’t achieved success with online leads yet, it doesn’t mean that it can’t build Read more…

This post originally published on Medium If there’s one battle cry that unites the many factions of InsurTech, it’s “Insurance is broken!” Scratch the surface of that platitude and you’ll find a host of specific and legitimate customer frustrations: policies are too opaque; rates rise inexplicably; submitting a claim is a Sisyphean task. To many, insurance seems to have escaped the customer-friendly changes that the internet wrought on other B2C categories, like retail, travel, and banking. Insurance carriers know that policyholders expect a better experience. The savvier ones have made improving customer experience a priority. But, rather than doubling down on developments like expanded mobile access, IoT, and blockchain technology to serve customers better, most carriers are hoping to breathe new life into the direct-to-consumer game plan that’s been around for decades. A recent PwC report showed that insurers are most excited about startups offering a direct channel to customers, though the largest segment of InsurTech startups is working on risk mitigation.[1] The direct-to-consumer model makes plenty of promises. We are told that today’s consumers expect Amazon’s efficiency and Kayak’s transparency in as few clicks and swipes as possible. Keeping live human agents in the purchase process can feel like Read more…

As the insurance industry is continues to grow and become more competitive, getting clients becomes increasingly harder as well. For any independent agency, we need to adapt new strategies to keep up with the big guys when it comes to lead gen and customer experience. So how does your agency keep up with customer demands and retain policyholders in a competitive landscape? A powerful insurance CRM software. This effective hammer in the agency toolbox integrates your agency tools and streamlines the sales process to improve customer experience from hello to happy customer. Whether you’re in the market for a new CRM, or it’s your first time buying, here are 8 reasons why your insurance agency needs a CRM in their toolbox. Stores client information in one place Being able to share information with your team and easily update it is crucial for productivity. Insurance CRM softwares let every member of your team see past communication with a client, so if you aren’t around, they can easily handle the situation at hand and provide better service. Generates reports seamlessly A data-driven agency is able to make actionable insights out of their metrics to improve their business strategy. Insurance CRM’s Read more…

Insurance agents are known for being behind the times when it comes to digital marketing. In the past we’ve relied mostly on carriers do the heavy lifting, leaving little room to communicate their own unique personality with prospects. In this highly-competitive industry, agencies want to invest in a distinct marketing strategy to stand out and resonate with their target markets. Build a strong brand around your agency Before you do anything, you need to a way to represent yourself in the market. This is what we call “branding”. Yes, you have a logo and a tagline, but what does your brand actually stand for? According to consumer psychologist Peter Noel Murray, people evaluate brands based on emotions instead of facts and information. Your identity is your relationship to your customers, how they emotionally connect with your company. Everything you create going forward – website, colors, logo, etc. – needs to be a reflection of this identity. Ask yourself, “what will we be known for?” All too often, companies dive into the logo and tagline without defining their core values. This punches holes in their market strategy when they have the dollars to make that push. Read more…

The days of traditional salesmanship are over. Selling insurance is not just about buying signals, but about creating an experience your customer will not find elsewhere. Insurance is confusing, and many buyers struggle seeing eye-to-eye with agents who try to sell them products. Creating the best experience for customers can alleviate concerns and improve revenue in your agency. In fact, a global study released by Oracle revealed that brands can lose up to 20% annual revenue due to poor customer experience. Stand out in the sea of small talk and pushy salespeople and use these 12 ways to improve customer experience in your agency. Connect with prospects and clients. You can’t sell or create a welcoming experience with feign friendliness and small talk. Get to know your customers personally. Take an interest in their wellbeing and understand their problems. That connection will be the reason they come to you versus other agencies. Don’t push them to buy. Customers are not an urgent as we are to jump in and buy insurance. Prepare your proposal and make your presentation, but don’t push customers with constant attempts to motivate the purchase. You don’t want that order to go to someone else. Answer Read more…

If you’ve ever sold insurance, odds are you have made a cold call. Some producers claim it’s the most fruitful part of their sales, while others spend all day on calls just to line up one meeting. There’s no foolproof way to ensure you’ll land an appointment every call, but you can improve your chances with a few quick tweaks to your cold call strategy. Make a plan This sounds so simple, and it is. But more often than not agents don’t have an actual plan in place when they get into a day’s worth of calls any call. Just saying you will make 35 calls before lunch and set 7 appointment per week is not a plan. Set specific goals, develop a conversation flow, and do a bit of research on prospects you’re calling. This will help create new opportunities for selling insurance. Create specific prospecting targets list There should never be an over-generalized idea of who you will be talking to. You want to get as specific as possible for targets including their location, renewal dates, family, industry etc. Define your targets first and you will secure more meetings than when you jump in first with no strategy. Read more…

Today’s independent agency goes beyond the four walls you call your “office”. No matter how large or small your agency is, becoming a digital personality is crucial to establish credibility and stimulate growth. Insurance consumers are looking for quick answers, and they’re turning to the internet to find them. According to J.D. Power’s 2016 Insurance Shopping Study, 74% of auto insurance customers obtain quotes or insurance information online. Yet only 25% purchase online. This gives you, the independent agent, a unique position to establish yourself as a tech-savvy insurance agency shoppers can meet live. Become a visible member of the online buyers community. The best way to sell anything is to intercept consumers during their discovery process and give them what they need. When it comes to purchasing insurance, consumers are not looking for a friendly face, they look to dissolve their curiosity and concerns about a products. In this case, the product is your insurance. Don’t treat your online presence as a digital business card. It’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to reach and engage with thousands of people everyday. Consider this presence your digital salesman, meaning you need to optimize your website and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Read more…

Work culture today is different than it once was years ago. We have Gen X’ers being managed by Millennials, retirement age baby boomers intermingling with lazy, Instagram-scrolling Millennials. All who bring different values, communication styles, and work habits to one agency, yours. Here’s how you can manage the differences between these groups and create a productive, cohesive company culture that works for everybody. Schedule company events that are actually fun Not many Millennials will be ready to accept their fate at a company picnic, but happy hour is definitely an option. As a small agency owner, it’s your job to bring the team together in and out of the office for joyous occasions where they can grow together. One study done by Harvard Business School revealed the more time people socialize with their teammates away from their workstations, productivity and employee satisfaction dramatically increases. A 25,000 employee call center in the study forecasted $15 million a year in productivity increases by following this idea. For your agency, this can be as simple as office birthdays to off-site holiday parties, or even renting out a bunch of escape rooms for the day for a fun and adventurous team building exercise. Read more…

The distribution process for personal insurance today is opaque and inefficient. One thing that carriers, agents, and customers can probably all agree on is that it’s time for some changes in the current system. Please follow and like us: